


rottweiler smile

by RhymeReason



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: AFTG Winter Exchange 2019, M/M, Minyard-Josten Rivalry, Reporters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:00:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22295209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RhymeReason/pseuds/RhymeReason
Summary: It went like this.(A pinchhit for the AFTG Winter Exchange!)
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 24
Kudos: 500
Collections: AFTG Exchange Winter 2019





	rottweiler smile

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! This is a super late posting of the pinch hit I did for the AFTG Winter Exchange in December! It was for kkyraken on tumblr!

It went like this.

“Mr. Minyard, how do you feel about your college teammate finally joining the NEL?”

“Who?” Minyard’s expression was as blank as always. 

“Uh.” The reporter gulped. “Neil Josten, your former captain and teammate?”

Minyard’s expression didn’t change. “I don’t really care.”

  
  
  


“Mr. Josten!” The reporter interrupted another question and Josten looked at him in confusion. 

“Yes?”

“How do you feel about going up against a team that has one of your former teammates on it?”

“Oh, Andrew?” Josten shrugged. “What I feel won’t change anything. Andrew’s the best goalie in the league but he’s never been a problem for me before so I’m just gonna focus on my game.”

“So is there going to be tension between you two tonight?” 

Josten grinned and everyone in the press room shuddered silently. 

“Oh yeah. Expect lots of tension.”

  
  
  


Josten’s team was in Chicago against Minyard’s and it was obvious that something was strange the moment that Minyard stepped onto the court.

Instead of walking to the goal right away, he detoured past the visiting team and shook Josten by his mask. The two exchanged words as the fans screamed but nothing came from the short interaction.The game continued on. 

  
  
  


“Mr. Minyard! What was it like playing against Josten? Why did you go intimidate him before game start?”

“Josten,” Minyard said the name like it personally insulted him. “He sure does think he’s good.”

“Are you saying you don’t think he’s good?”

Minyard just raised his eyebrows in response and went to continue toweling off. 

  
  


“Mr. Josten! How does it feel to lose to your newest rival in your first game in the NEL?”

“Newest rival?” Josten stopped short. “Do you mean Andrew?”

“Yes. The two of you have been hostile in the last few months leading up to this and his actions towards you at the start of the game cemented the two of you as rivals in the fans minds. Do you have any comments on that?”

Josten shrugged. “Call us rivals or don’t. It doesn’t change the fact that I’m the only one that scored on him tonight.”

“So do you think you’re a match for him in goal?”

“I’m his only match.”

  
  


“Mr. Day! Do you care to comment on the rivalry of your two former teammates, Neil Josten and Andrew Minyard?”

“Sure.” Day turned to the reporter. 

“In college, were Josten and Minyard always at each other’s throats as they seem to be now?”

“In one way or another, yes.”

“So are you surprised to find out that the two now have an extremely heated rivalry?”

“I just didn’t expect it to be so public. Public isn’t Andrew’s idea of fun.”

“Do you have anything else to add?”

Day shrugged. “As long as it doesn’t affect their Exy, I don’t really see why it matters.”

  
  


“Thank you so much for being on the show tonight, Matt!”

Boyd laughed and clapped his hands. “It’s great to be here, thanks for having me.”

“So let’s cut right to the chase.” The talk show host winked. “Your two former teammates, Andrew Minyard and Neil Josten have begun an amazing rivalry! It’s all anyone in Exy can talk about. What do you think is going on there? What sparked such heated emotions?”

Boyd cocked his head to the side. “Well, everything about Andrew and Neil is heated. It’s just a given with those two. I do think it’s really funny that they are rivals.”

“Were they like this in college?” 

“Well, yeah! I think Kevin said it best in that interview a few weeks ago but they really were always at each other’s throats. And Neil is my best friend and I told him before that he needs to think stuff like this through more. He never does though.”

“Very well put, Matt. Now let’s move on to your most recent game.”

  
  
  


The next time the two teams played, Josten scored on Minyard four times in a row and laughed with each goal until Minyard grabbed his faceplate and growled something in return. Josten just laughed again and ran back to his starting position. There was a new photo of two of them, framed in the light of the stadium, with their faces inches away from each other, Minyard’s in a frown and Josten’s in a grin. The picture was on every sports article the day after.

  
  


“Mr. Josten! How do you feel now that both you and Andrew Minyard are going to be on the USA Exy Team?”

Josten stopped and stared at the reporter who had shouted the question. His nose scrunched up in confusion. “Andrew accepted the Court position?”

“Yes, he accepted the position right before 6 o’clock this evening. How do you feel?”

Josten just shook his head. “That asshole.” He walked back to the locker room. 

  
  
  


Every reporter in the world tried to grab Josten or Minyard in the hours following the moments the gold medal touched their necks but neither one of them could be found. 

  
  


“Mr Josten, how do you feel about the fact that you are now going to be playing on the same team as your rival for an extended amount of time? Do you expect problems?”

Josten just laughed in return. “I mean, it sure is going to be interesting for me and Andrew to be on the same team for real after a few years apart. It's gonna be fun.”

The coach for the Wildeyes stepped forward. “We kept this rivalry in mind when deciding on this transfer and we are expecting no problems from the two. They performed well together during the Olympics and they were teammates before and they are teammates again. That’s all.Thank you for coming to this press conference.”

  
  


“Now!” The talk show host clapped their hands together. “I have some very important guests I would like to introduce to you all! I am so happy to welcome gold medalists and starting goalie for the Chicago Wildeyes, Andrew Minyard! And with him, gold medalist and former starting Striker for the New York Rebels, Neil Josten!”

The two men walked out with matching expressions and Team USA jackets. They didn't make eye contact or interact at all as the two took their seats next to each other on the couch. The tension in the studio rose imperceptibly. 

“So…” The host started off. It was obvious that they were nervous but they pushed on. “You two have quite a history, correct? You played together in college with the Palmetto State Foxes, became rivals during the regular season this year and then went to win gold together in the summer Olympics this year. Now you are about to start you are about to start your first season permanently back together on the Chicago Wildeyes. How does it feel? Is there still lingering animosity between you two?”

Josten and Minyard glanced at each other. Minyard’s eyebrows rose imperceptibly and Josten’s lips twitched. They had a full conversation in the five seconds that they held eye contact. Minyard was the one to turn his gaze back to the host. “There will always be animosity between us. I hate him.”

“Wow, you're so good with words, Andrew.” Josten teased before the host could get another word in. “I hate you too, but we knew that.”

“We did?” The host muttered in confusion.

The two men nodded in unison. Josten smiled. “Got rings and everything to prove how much we hate each other.” From under their shirts, they each pulled out matching platinum rings on gold chains. 

There was a beat of silence in the studio as everyone zeroed in on those rings and what they meant. Then the entire world broke into noise. 

“You-you're married?” The host sputtered. “How-how long?”

“Neil’s last year with the Foxes.” Minyard was the one to answer that question. 

“So, this entire time you’ve had this rivalry you actually been...married?”

“Yup.” Josten popped the P on his answer. “It's actually made things a lot easier. Long distance sucks but being married means that when we get hurt during games we can visit each other and everything.”

“So you don't actually hate each other?”

“I hate him.” Minyard said. “No doubt about it.”

“And I hate him too.” Josten responded.

Josten reached out his hand and Minyard took it, the corners of his mouth ticking up in the simplest way possible. The crowd screamed. The host put his head in his hands. 


End file.
